Topic: Old Murano Paperweight - ID Help Please

[SimonD]

Thanks Kevin - It's a lovely weight! I agree there's a lot features in common between your weight and mine - dome shape, how the twists fill the dome, and finish of base/pontil. On my weight only the pontil is ground with a "frosted" finish, and it protrudes somewhat (in a similar fashion to the pontil on Monart glass items.) The difference may be to how the base was finished before grinding, as to what needed tidying up. But the manner in which the twists are drawn down through the pontil is very similar in both.
I am unable to match any of the twists/filigree, but that's not to say there are none. My weight is a good reference piece, so I shall see if I can take a photo of each of the 25+ twists and share.
Many thanks again for sharing,
Simon

[w8happiness]

Thank you Kevin, a very fascinating weight and no doubt it belongs to the group in question,
I always wonder if weights like those were brought along by and firms who exhibited at the World Trade Fairs, and were sold there to attendants or given as incentives for clients- for Bigaglia and  Trade Fairs there are numerous weights and types reported, but sadly no illustrations, only raw descriptions like "stilo byzantino" or "comune" etc.

Kind regards Erhard

[SimonD]

I have received negative confirmation from G.Moretti regarding the cockerel murrine being by Murrine.

Dear Simon,

thanks for your kindly inquiry about my family Murrine.

I looked at the pictures you sent me and I can affirm that the particular rooster is not reconductable of my father's artworks.

I wish you all the best

Giusy Moretti

[SimonD]

On the subject of Murrine, these latest ones by Loren Stump are a world away in complexity and quality, and possibly some of the best ever made!

http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2014/06/sliced-glass-paintings-and-portraits-by-loren-stump/

[tropdevin]

***

Wow!  That is something special.  Does anyone know how big it is?  I have watched Loren working once, at Wheaton, and he was building quite a large piece of glass (maybe 80 mm to 100 mm across) before pulling the cane.

Alan

[SophieB]

This is really amazing work. What a beautiful murrine!!!

SophieB

[SimonD]

The following listing on eBay is similar to the weights in this thread.

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=201217655988

[KevinH]

Yes, and the teal / turquoise colour of some cane pieces seem to be the same as in my weight.

Also it has elongated air bubbles which also appear in mine at the same position in the weight. I do not think they are fractures as there is no "mirrored effect" that is usually seen with cracks.

[KevinH]

In view of an interesting discussion in another thread (see victorian scramble paperweight ), I have produced some close-up images of the internal elements of my weight, as shown in Reply 9 above.

Placing these extra images in this thread will keep things tidy and also hopefully raise some more thoughts about this possible "family of weights".

For my "element photos", I have grouped them as:
"Filigrana" (by which I mean coloured twists)
"Chips" (those that look like bits and pieces but are probably simply broken twist canes)
"Filigree" (by which I mean "white threads")
"Aventurine" ( to show the type and the colour)

[KevinH]

And also ...